Alarm shut-off for nickel alarm-clocks



W. E. PORTER.

ALARM SHUT-oFF-FOR NlcKELYAL/IRM CLOCKS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1919.

1 ,332,569. Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILSON E. PORTER, 0F NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO NEW HAVEN CLOCK C0., OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

ALARM SHUT-OFF FOR NICKEL ALARM-CLOCKS.

i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILSON E. PORTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Alarm Shut- Offs for Nickel Alarm-Clocks; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the characters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this application and represent, in-

Figure l a plan view of a nickel-alarm clock provided with my improved shut-oft.

lFig. 2 a view of the clock in rear elevation with the back of the clock-case removed, only parts of the alarm-train of the clock-movement being shown.

Fig. 3 an enlarged view in vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 a detached plan view of the friction-washer of the shut-off.

Fig. 5 a detached view showing the thumb -button, washer, and nut of the shut-olf.

My invention relates to an improved shutoil for nickel-alarm clocks, the object being to produce a simple, cheap, compact, convenient, and effective device, easily applied and not liable to derangement in use.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in an alarm shut-off having certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

In carrying out my invention as herein shown, I em loy a thumb-piece 4, having upon its un er face a concentric spacing* shoulder 5, from which a threaded stem 6 depends, the lower face of the thumb-piece riding upon the central portion of the upper face of the cylindrical sheet-metal clockcase 7, and the spacing shoulder fitting within a slot 8 formed in the said case 7 at a right angle to the axis thereof and toward its rear edge. The said threaded stem extends downward through the slot 8 into the case 7, passing through the opening 9 in a thin sheet-metal friction-washer 10, and receiving'a retaining-nut 11, which holds the washer against the spacing-shoulder 5 the inward extension of which through the said slot in the case is suflicient to prevent the washer from binding upon the inner surface thereof, whereas only frictional contact therewith is desired. As thus constructed and applied, the device is free to be moved laterally within the limits of the slot 8 against the friction developed between the thin friction-washer andthe case. The device, as a unit, is also free to rotate, also against the friction of the washer. When the device is pushed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to the limit of its movement to the left, the nut 11 engages with an upstanding stoparm 12 mounted upon the arbor 13 carryin the verge 14 of the alarm train, the sai arbor also carrying the alarm-hammer 15, and the said verge co-acting with the alarm escape-wheel 16, as usual in clock alarm trains. On the other hand when the device is moved from left to right for the length of the slot 8, the arm 12 is left free to vibrate and permit the alarm to sound.

The friction-washer 10 is made large enough to overlap and close the slot 8, as shown in Fig. 1, and being circular closes the said slot in any rotated position of the device. Moreover since the device is free to rotate as a unit, as described, the loosening of the nut l2 upon the threaded stem 6 which would otherwise result, is prevented. This capacity of the friction device to rotate as a unit therefore safeguards the device against loosening and so failing to function. Moreover if the friction-member is of any other shape than circular, means must bei employed to hold it against rotation, since otherwise it will not function and if displaced in position is likely to foul, whereas a washer is equally effective in any position and will not foul because it cannot get out of place to do so. As shown, the washer clears the case-back 17 and also the arm 18 carried by the clock-movement and bent rearwardly to receive the screw 19, by which the upper portion of the movement is held in place.

I claim In an alarm shut-off for nickelalarm clocks the combination with a cylindrical sheet-metal case formed in its upper face with a slot at a right angle to its axis, of a friction device consisting of a thumb-piece having a shoulder and a stem, a frictionwasher fitting oveithe said stem and against the said yshoulder in position to have alarm mechanism adapted to `oo'- aot with 10 friotional engagement With the inner surthe said nut by which it is controlled.

face of the said oase at points adjacent to In testimony whereof I have signed this the said slot7 and a n-ut bearing against the specification in the presence of tWo subscribsaid Washer to hold it against the said shouling Witnesses.

der, the said parts being mounted in `the ease WILSON E. PORTER. through the slot thereof and turning in the said slot as a unit, in addition to having lateral movement in the slot as a unit; and

Witnesses:

FREDERIC C. EARLE, GEORGE D. SEYMOUR. 

